FR-S Extreme Clutch Problems

[dholloway543]

I have an ACT clutch and they use the stock Subaru throw out bearings.


If you look into it the Subaru TOB are known to be very squealy, almost sounds like metal against metal. It annoyed me but after about 2 months of driving it the sound quieted down a lot.


Does the sound go away when you press the clutch in, if so its your TOB and you should just deal with it. People are known to get very long lifespans on these TOB even though they squeal.

[mhansen146]

I have issues similiar to the op, atleast in regards to noises. Im very curious as well if this was ever resolved.
My car has 35000, 2015 bought second hand (my 2013 was killed by a silverado unfortunatly).

All the info I can think of: early days: metallic metal on metal noise, more common on cold starts, but sometimes all the time. Light pressure on clutch pedal stopped the noise of the time. Could also be heard when driving light throttle on decel (off throttle engine braking). Suspected tob, replaced it and entire clutch, all oem parts (everything seemed fine tbh, including bearing). Came back quickly. Very itermittent. When clutch fork is forced AWAY by hand from pp (compressed against slave), sound gets worse. Most of the time.

Today: car has developed starter issues. It occasionally had a crappy engagement/mesh type sound early on, but has gotten worse, when it happens. Also intermittent. Sometumes starter only spins and only catched occasionally. Again, this is itermittent. Sometimes zero drama. Seriously... i replaced the starter with a clean low mileage starter. Teeth on mine badly worn, almost machined off a few mm deep on pinion (will post a pic soon). New starter installed, twrrible grinding metallic noise all the time. Took off and reinstalled original. Teeth on new starter chipped.

More observations: when car makes metallic noise, starter works fine, pushing back and forth on clutch fork at the slave changes intensity. When starter is acting up, metallic noise is rare, hard to replicate is clutch fork, and when car is revved, i get a rattle from that area. Rattle is only present when starter is acting up. Its a heat shield type rattle.

All work done by me (since purchase), all with factory parts, all torqued to oem specs. Will post videos and pics.

I believe trans was replaced at some point as it had a 2016 build date on it

I think these issues are connected. So far im totally drawing a blank, but im thinking warped flywheel maybe? Clutch is very smooth, no engagement issues, chatter, tob feels great. I did have flywheel resurfaced..

Ideas? Its driving me insane!

[Japanese_Carbon]

Hey all, sorry for the long delay. Early last year I ended up taking the car to a transmission shop after I was unable to even get it into 1st gear. When it got there they tore it down and found that the TOB had actually welded itself to the input shaft. In addition, the input shaft was worn down a significant amount. The owner of the shop actually called me in disbelief lol.

I ended up getting a new trans put into the car with an upgraded clutch as well as another new TOB; I haven't have any problems since. Actually went FI this year! All new problems

In regards to you mhansen, I am not sure what could be causing this issue for you. But it sounds like something to do with the flywheel? I would save yourself the hassle and go buy a new one - at least that is what I did when it all went to hell.

[mhansen146]

I think thats where im gonna start. My car still has the powertrain warranty and I have desperatly tryed to force a Toyota Dealer to fix it, but intermittent problems = money wasted on bs diagnostic fees. Plus 3/4 of those master techs shouldn't be allowed to torque lugnuts (no offense to the competent ones..)

Anyways I dunno how a flywheel could cause any of these issues but something in there isnt right.

[mhansen146]

So I thought I would conclude this in the unlikely case somebody else has suffered this problem.

It ended up being a loose ring gear on the factory flywheel. Honestly, until I looked into flywheel construction in general, I didnt even realize the ribg gear was a seperate piece, figured it was machined in. But makes sense, they are clearly hardened steel vs cast iron flywheel. Anyhoo, the ring gear was so loose it both moved in and out, contacting the starter pinion and the lower exposed bellhousing mount surface. It also began to spin on the flywheel! I installed a brand new 86 take off oem flywheel and she is finally as perfect as a 36000 mile can be.

So if you have grinding/contact noises and issues on a lower mileage frs/86/brz and have confirmed its not the clutch or tob, have wear on the starter pinion, and after some time develope starting issues, consider your flywheel ring gear!

[mhansen146]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12ZF...w?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12gn...w?usp=drivesdk